Toy with a releasable load or bomb



Jan. 31, 1961 I w, J, sHAPlRO Q 2,969,608

' TOY WITH A RELEASABLE LOAD 0R BOMB Filed Feb. 21, 1957 INVENTOR. WILL/HM J SHHP/RQ W ZEX HTTORNEYS TOY WITH A RELEASABLE LOAD OR BOMB William J. Shapiro, 658 Montgomery, Brooklyn 25, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 21, 1957, Ser. No. 641,527

9 Claims. (CI. 46-77) The invention relates to a toy including a vehicle, such as a toy airplane, from which is suspended a releasable member or load such as a bomb which is dropped from the vehicle. The airplane is mounted on an inclined track so that the vehicle moves downwardlly thereon and upon agitation of the vehicle by agitation of the track the load is released from the vehicle. The toy may be associated with a target and the ability of the user to drop the load or bomb in a certain area on the target may constitute points in a game. The toy described herein is an improvement upon the toy of applicants Patent 2,634,127, dated April 7, 1953.

It is an object of the invention to construct a toy having a vehicle adapted to be mounted on a track for movement thereon and a releasable load, such as a bomb released therefrom upon agitation of the vehicle through agitation of the track in which improved forms of a releasable mounting for the load are used.

Another object of the invention is to construct a toy having a vehicle adapted to be mounted on a track for movement thereon and carrying a releasable load having a single point suspension which load is released from the vehicle by agitation of the track.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating some preferred embodiments thereof in which Fig. 1 is a small-sized illustration of the vehicle movably mounted on an inclined track with a releasable load or bomb suspended from the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a partial view of the vehicle showing a two point contact mounting for the suspension of the releasable load on the vehicle.

Fig. 2a shows a modification in which the contact edge is a projection.

Fig. 3 is a partial view of the vehicle with a releasable load having a two point contact mounting of another form.

Fig. 4 shows a partial view of the vehicle with a releasable load having a two point mounting illustrating a variation which may be made in the relative positions of the supporting surfaces.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a partial view of a vehicle and load having a fin providing one contact edge and a rearward extension providing a second contact edge.

Fig. 7 is a partial view of the vehicle with a double contact releasable mounting having an overall fin length for the releasable load which is less than the aperture length.

In the construction of the toy described in the patent aforesaid, it is necessary to have the dimensions or spacing of the slot or spaced clamping surfaces reasonably precise with respect to the thickness of the part of the load received therein for assured releaseof the releasable member or load from the vehicle and -,to prevent freguent inadvertent release. There can not be too much variation in the dimensions or relationship of the inter- States Patent 2,969,608 Patented Jan. 31, 1961 engaging means carried by the load or bomb and the vehicle to adequately hold the bomb' on the vehicle and so that it will not be too easily displaced inadvertently. Wearing of the cutting dies which cut the interengaging means can affect the effectiveness of the mounting. The construction shown herein permits a wide latitude in the dimensions of the suspension or interengaging parts, yet the releasable load or bomb is adequately supported until it is released when intended by agitation of the vehicle through agitation of the track.

The vehicle is mounted on an inclined track 10 which may be a string or wire suitably supported or held in an inclined position. A support 11 may be provided to which one end of the track is secured; however, this is not essential since this end of the track or string may be tied to a chair and the elevated end may be held by the user at an elevation to give the track an incline sufiicient for the vehicle to move by gravity down the track. The track may be one or more strings or wires; however, one string is sufiicient. A handle 72 may be secured to the end of the track to manipulate the same and to hold the track taut.

The vehicle 14 may be of any form, that shown simulating an airplane. The vehicle may carry a bent up flange 15 at the forward end and a flange 15 at the rear end, each having a mole or recess 1'7 to receive the inclined track or string. The rear fiange may be longer than the front flange if desired in order to level the vehicle when the track is inclined. The fore and aft axis of the vehicle is in the plane of the same extending in the same direction as the track. In Fig. 5 the vehicle axis is centrally of a load receiving aperture 18. With suflicient inclination of the track the vehicle slides .down the track. The vehicle has spaced edges which may be formed by an aperture and an aperture for each load or bomb. The aperture may be of suitable form, that illustrated being a single slot 18 for a single bomb in the horizontal or fuselage portion of the .vehicle extending in a fore and aft direction.

The releasable member or load is shown in the form of a bomb 21 having at least one laterally extending fin 22 which provides a forward contact or suspension edge, in that it is directed forwardly with respect to the load or towards the nose of the load. For a clamping mounting at least one second contact edge is provided such as by a second lateral fin 23 extending in an opposite direction from the fin 22. The two fins extend laterally from the bomb and may be regarded as a single fin. With but two fins oppositely directed and of relatively narrow width, the combined length of the fins will be greater than the space between the spaced edges or greater than the length of the aperture or slot 18 in the vehicle or plane so that when the end of one fin '22 is inserted into the aperture, the forward or lower edge of the fin engages the upper surface 24 of the vehicle. For a fin having a straight lower edge, the contact is with the upper surface at the edge of the slot or the corner formed bythe edge of the slot and the top surface. Theforwardly directed fin 23 With a straight upper or rear edge engages the lower surface 25 of the vehicle or in the construction particularly .illustrated,.it contactsthe lower surface of the vehicle at the opposite end of the aperture 18 or the corner formed by the forward edge of the .slot and the lower surface of the .vehicle. If the fins have considerable or increased width, the length of the fins maybe less than the length of the slot since contact betwee n fins and the vehicle is relatively close to the diagonal of the rectangle formed by the fins as will appear in connection with Fig. 7. S o long as the diagonal is greaterlthan the length of :the slot the bomb will be securedin the slot.

The end of the forward fin 23 may be inserted through the aperture if desired to engage the upper surface of the vehicle or upper corner of the edge formed by the aperture, in which case the other or rearwardly directed fin 22 engages the lower surface of the vehicle or corner of the aperture. In this case, with the fuselage or slot inclined because of the inclined track, the bomb is not inclined to as great an extent with respect to a vertical line and a lessened clamping action results. By increasing the width 21 of the fins, as will appear; the angle of suspension of the bomb with respect to a vertical line will be increased and hence the clamping action is increased. Shortening the spacing between the spaced edges or the length of the slot will also increase the angle of suspension of the bomb and hence increase the clamping action.

With the center of gravity (C.G.) of the load or bomb located at a distance from the fins such as approximately where illustrated or rearwardly of a vertical line 26 from the point of contact of the fin 2'2 with the vehicle when in inclined position, the Weight of the bomb pivots the bomb at the point of contact as a fulcrum. This pivoting of the bomb clamps the bomb within the aperture using the weight of the bomb by one fin of the bomb engaging the upper surface and the other fin engaging the lower surface of the vehicle. If the end of the fin 23 is inserted I through the aperture to engage the upper surface 24 and the fin 22 engaging the lower surface, the center of gravity is forwardly of a vertical line 27 from the point of contact. The length of the diagonal of the two fins is greaterthan the spacing between supporting edges or the length of the aperture and may be substantially longer than the aperture so that there need be no precise dimension between the length or width of the aperture with respect to the diagonal across the two fins whether the fins are narrow or wide. Considerable latitude is provided between the width of the aperature and the thickness of the fins. For narrow fins the combined length is greater than the length of the aperture. The clamping action is sufficient to hold or retain the bomb in the aperture or on the vehicle under normal manipulation and with the vehicle sliding down the track.

Agitation of the track or string, such as by tapping or snapping the string, is transmitted to the vehicle sufficiently to release the clamping action of the bomb so that it is released from the vehicle. In the mounting particularly shown, the center of gravity of the bomb is rearwardly of a vertical line 26 through the point of contact of fin 22 with the supporting surface of the vehicle represented by the rearward line 26. A weight W of any suitable kind may be attached at or adjacent the end of the bomb in order to bring the center of gravity closer to the end of the bomb and hence farther rearwardly of the rearward vertical line of suspension 26 or farther forwardly of the line of suspension of the forward vertical suspension line 27 in a mounting in which the forward fin is projected through the aperture.

Fig. 2a shows projections which may be provided on the ends of the fins for engagement of the supporting surfaces 24 and 25 of the vehicle. These projections form contacting edges in the form of points which engage the supporting surface away from the edge of the aperture but in a region adjacent the edge of the aperture. Whether contact with the supporting surface is at the edge of the aperture or spaced from the edge as in Fig. 2a, the contact is in the region of the edge of the aperture or the edge of the supporting surface. The supporting surfaces may have roughness such as provided by sandpaper 49 glued to the surface to provide additional assurance that the load will not be inadvertently released.

Fig. 3 illustrates another construction of load or bomb also having a plurality of points of interengagement of the releasable load or bomb with the supporting surfaces of the vehicle and having a clamping action. In this construction, the bomb 28 has means in the form of two fins 29 extending laterally with respect to the rearwardly extending fin 30 and long enough to span the width of the aperture so that the rear edges at least of the ends engage the lower or downwardly facing supporting surface 25 of the vehicle. These means may be as long as the fin 30 in which event they serve as fins extending laterally with respect to the forwardly and rearwardly directed fins 3t? and 31. With four means or fins 29, 30 and 31, the fins 29 extend oppositely from each other. With this bomb, one of the fins 29, 30 or 31 is inserted through the aperture so that this fin is directed rearwardly or towards the rear end of the vehicle and engages the top surface 24 of the vehicle '14 in the region of the aperture or as particularly shown the upper edge formed by the junction of the edge of the aperture 18 and the upper supporting surface. The second point or points of contact are the upper or rearwardly facing contact edges of each fin 29, as shown, contacting the lower or downwardly facing surface 25 of the vehicle. With a relatively narrow aperture or an aperture having a width less than the lateral or sidewise extension of the fins 29, this means or fins engage the bottom surface of the vehicle on each side of the aperture. The center of gravity (C.G.) of this bomb is spaced forwardly of the fins or contact edges so that when mounted on the vehicle as shown, the center of gravity is located rearwardly of the vertical line of contact represented by the line 26. With the end of the forward fin such as 31 inserted through the aperture, the center of gravity is forwardly of the vertical line of suspension 27a. The bomb is, therefore, clamped to the vehicle and at the aperture at the point of engagement of the fin 31 with the top surface 24 of the vehicle and the contact edges of the fins 29 with the bottom surface 25 of the vehicle. With a bomb with more than two fins, the aperture may have considerable width but less than the lateral extension of the sidewardly directed means or fins 29. Also with this form the length of the aperture or slot need not be related to the length of the fins or a diagonal but may be considerably longer than the span between the points of contact with the vehicle.

Upon agitation of the track, such as by striking or snapping the track, the vehicle is agitated sufiiciently to release this clamping action and the bomb is released from the vehicle. It is clear that the operation and construction is the same if three angularly spaced fins were used rather than the four particularly illustrated. In the form of constructions using more than two fins, the aperture should have a length at least as long as the length of one fin such as fin 30. This form of construction allows much latitude in the length of the aperture with respect to the spacing between points of contact.

Fig. 4 teaches that it is not necessary that the plane of the supporting surfaces be in planes spaced vertically from each other or that the downwardly facing supporting surface 25 be below the upper surface 24. The spaced supporting surface or downwardly facing surface 25b is above the plane of the upwardly facing surface 24. By making the width of the fin 36b greater to provide a rearward contact edge the angle of the axis 33 of the load with respect to the planes of the supporting surfaces remains unchanged and assures that the center of gravity (C.G.) of the load is beyond the vertical line 26 from the point of contact with the surface and hence the clamping leverage or action can be made to remain unchanged.

Fig. 6 illustrates that the contact edge of a load or bomb 37 need not be a fin. Laterally extending fins 38 and 39 are provided, the former being projected through the slot so that its forward edge engages the surface 24 of the vehicle or particularly the surface at the corner between the rear edge of the slot and the upper surface. The other point of contact is between the straight rear contact edge of a means in the form of an extension 40 of the bomb and the lower surface of the vehicle or the lower surface 25 at the lower corner r v of the forward edge of the aperture 18. The bomb has its center of gravity projected outside of or rearwardly 'of the vertical line 26 when mounted to extend rearwardly. When reversally mounted in the slot it would be forwardly of the vertical contact line 27. This means or extension 40 may have contact projections as illustrated in Figure 2A.

The construction of Fig. 7 illustrates a releasable member or bomb 45 having laterally-extending fins or a fin 47 extending on each side of the central axis of the bomb, the length or combined length of-which is less than the spacing between the spaced supporting edges or particularlyless than the length of the aperture 18. The fin in such case is of greater longitudinal dimension or width. This form of releasable member indicates that the basic relation of the length of the fin to the length of slot is determined by the length of the diagonal 48 across the corners of the fin or fins. In other words, for a doubleor clamping engagement for a releasable member or load having solely one pair of oppositely directed fins, the length of the diagonal of the fins must be greater than the length of the aperture and that the length of the fin or combined fins may or may not be greater than the length of the aperture.

The vvehicle may be held at the upper end of the track by the handle 72 to which the track is secured. The handle has a'hook 62 which when tilted engages the vehicle or particularly the bottom of the vehicle to hold it secured at the upper end of the track. Tilting of the handle to lower the hook releases the vehicle. The handle may have a finger hole 63 for holding the handle and for pulling the track taut.

In considering the various constructions illustrated, the

. supporting surfaces carried by the vehicle may be the corners of the junction between a side edge of the aperture and the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle when the contact edges are straight. If a projection is provided, the end of the projection provides a contact edge which engages the supporting surface adjacent the aperture but spaced from the edge of the aperture so that in both constructions the supporting surface and contact is in the region of the aperture.

The constructions illustrated provide a first contact edge or edges which face forwardly of the load or face towards the forward end of the load or towards the nose of the load or bomb. Means are provided having a second contact edge or edges facing rearwardly. This means may be single oppositely directed fin 23 or 36 or 47 as in Figs. 2, 4 and 7, or may be means or fins 29 extending laterally with respect to the fins 30 and 31 as in Fig. 3, or this means may be a rearward extension 40 as in Fig. 6. In the constructions of Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7 this means is in the same plane as their respective fins and require that the length of the aperture or the minimum spacing between supporting surfaces be less than the diagonal between the extreme or outer ends of the contacting edges. The combined length of the fins may or may not be greater than the length of the aperture or the minimal spacing of the supporting surfaces.

In order to secure clamping action between the contacting edges and the supporting surfaces, it is necessary that the center of gravity of the load be spaced or located forward or towards the nose of the bomb from the contacting edges so that when the load is mounted on the vehicle, the longitudinal axis of the load is inclined and the center of gravity is outside of a vertical line 26 or 27 extending from the point or points of contact. In other words when the rearward fin is pro- .jected through the aperture the center of gravity is located rearwardly of the vertical line 26. When the forward fin is projected through the aperture, the center of gravity is forwardly of the vertical line 27 from the point of contact with the upper supporting surface. In order to secure this result the first and second contacting edges are spaced from each other in a longitudinal or axial direction with respect to the load or bomb and the supporting surfaces are spaced horizontally from each other. The greater the distance of the center of gravity from the vertical line, the greater is the clamping action. The supporting surfaces may extend in vertical or generally vertical planes, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the clamping actionof the load is secured in the same manner.

In all of the constructions the supporting surfaces are spaced a substantial planar distance from each other, although the supporting surfaces are not usually in the same plane. The planar separation is that distance between an adjacent edge of one supporting surface and the point of intersection of a vertical from the adjacent edge of the other supporting surface with a planar extension of the first supporting surface. The first and second contact edges, that is the forwardly directed contact edge or edges and the rearwardly directed contact edge or edges usually are on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the load even though the rearwardly directed contact edge is a single edge extending across the axis. The point of contact of the first or forwardly directed contact edge is on one side of the axis and the point of contact of the supporting surface and the rearwardly directed or second contact edge or edges is on the opposite side of the load axis. An exception is found in the construction of Fig. 3 which provides fins or means 29 which extend laterally with respect to the fin '30 and fin 31. Here the contact edge is on the same side as the load axis but the contact is adjacent to or in the region of the axis of the load.

This invention provides an improvement in a toy with a releasable load or bomb. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

1. A load dropping toy to be used with an inclined track comprising a vehicle having oppositely facing supporting surfaces spaced a substantial planar distance from each other, means carried by the vehicle for mounting the same on the track for movement thereon, a load having at least one fin extending laterally therefrom and said fin providing a first contact edge facing towards the forward end of the load, means carried by the load providing at least one second contact edge spaced both rearwardly and laterally from the first contact edge and facing rearwardly of the load, the supporting surfaces being spaced apart a substantial planar distance and in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle but engageable by the contact edges, each first contact edge engaging one supporting surface of the vehicle and said second contact edge engaging the other spaced supporting surface of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the load being distant forwardly from the contact edges so that when the load is mounted with the contacting edges in contact with the supporting surfaces the center of gravity of the load is displaced beyond one of two vertical lines extending through the points of contact of the load with the supporting surfaces of the vehicle to clamp the load to the vehicle.

2. A load dropping toy as in claim 1 in which the vehicle has an aperture with the oppositely facing surfaces adjacent the edges of the aperture providing the spaced supporting surfaces.

3. A load dropping toy as in claim 1 including forwardly and rearwardly extending projections at the ends of the fins to engage the supporting surfaces of the vehicle.

4. A load dropping toy as in claim 1 including a pair of fins one extending laterally on one side of the first fin and another extending laterally on the other side of the first fin and each of the pair of fins providing a rearwardly directed contact edge.

5. A load dropping toy as in claim 1 including a pair of fins extending oppositely from each other and at right angles to the first fin and providing rearwardly directed edges, the combined length of the pair of fins being greater than the width of the aperture, the rearward contacting edge of each of the pair of fins engaging another supporting surface of the vehicle to clamp the load to the vehicle.

6. A load dropping toy as in claim 1 including means at least on one of the supporting surfaces of the vehicle and engaged by the contact edge to increase the resistance to slipping of the point of contact of the fin with the supporting surface of the vehicle.

7. A load dropping toy to be used with an inclined track comprising a vehicle having oppositely facing supporting surfaces spaced a substantial planar distance from each other, means carried by the vehicle for mounting the same on the track for movement thereon, a load having a center of gravity, means carried by the load in the same plane including one pair of fins extending laterally therefrom and oppositely from each other, a first contact edge carried by each fin, one of said first contact edges facing towards the forward end of the load, said means carried by the load providing a second contact edge spaced both rearwardly and laterally from the said one of said contact edges and facing rearwardly of the load, said means having a diagonal across the outer ends of the first and second contact edges which is, greater than the minimal spacing of the supporting surfaces, said one of said first contact edges engaging one supporting surface of the vehicle and the second contact edge engaging the other supportingsurface of the vehicle, the center of gravity of the load being distant forwardly from the contact edges so that when the load is mounted with the contacting .edges .in contact with the supporting surfaces the center of gravity of the load is displaced beyond one of two vertical lines extending through the points of contact of the contact edges With'the supporting surfaces of the vehicle to clamp the load to the vehicle.

8. A load dropping toy as in claim 7 in which the rearward edge of the fins provide the second contact edge.

9. A load dropping toy as in claim 7 in which said means is a rearwardly projecting extension having a rear edge. providing a second contact edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 918,343 Macculloch Apr. 13, 1909 1,607,533 Hance Nov. 16, 1926 2,101,276 Walter Dec. 7, 1937 2,527,683 Malo Oct. 31, 1950 2,634,127 Shapiro Apr. 7, 1953 2,738,188 Hoffman Mar. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,374 Australia Aug. 16, 1934 

